Wireless Intestinal Stimulation Implants to Reduce Fibrosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for treating intestinal disorders through electrical stimulation of the intestine face challenges in maintaining flexibility and preventing fibrosis, which can lead to reduced effectiveness and potential tissue damage due to surgical modifications and foreign body reactions.
Innovation Solution
A system with wireless energy transmission and independent electrical stimulation devices that use RFID technology for energy and data transfer, minimizing fibrosis risk and maintaining flexibility, combined with mechanical or hydraulic constriction devices for controlled intestinal content movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical stimulation devices are implanted in the intestine, then electrical stimulation of intestinal muscle or neural tissue can be achieved, but fibrosis and foreign body reactions occur leading to reduced flexibility and potential tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional wired electrical stimulation devices with wireless RFID-powered devices. The wireless energy transmission through RFID technology eliminates the need for physical cable connections and reduces mechanical stress on the intestine, thereby minimizing fibrosis and foreign body reactions while maintaining effective electrical stimulation of intestinal muscle or neural tissue
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy delivery mechanism from continuous wired power supply to pulsed wireless RFID energy transmission. This parameter change allows for intermittent stimulation that reduces continuous foreign body contact, minimizing fibrosis formation while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness through controlled electrical pulses
2Ease of operation
If surgical modifications are made to the intestine for device implantation, then electrical stimulation can be delivered, but tissue damage and reduced flexibility occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical wired connections with wireless RFID communication and energy transmission. This substitution minimizes the need for extensive surgical modifications and physical anchoring structures that would compromise tissue integrity, allowing for simpler implantation while preserving intestinal flexibility and strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses modular RFID-powered electrical stimulation devices that can be implanted as smaller, distributed units rather than large wired systems. This segmentation reduces the extent of surgical modification needed and minimizes disruption to tissue architecture, thereby preserving tissue integrity and flexibility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively stimulates intestinal muscles wirelessly, maintaining flexibility and reducing fibrosis, thereby improving treatment efficacy and tissue tolerance to mechanical or hydraulic constriction devices.
Implementation Method 1
each of the one or more electrical stimulation devices comprises a wireless energy receiver configured to receive energy for stimulating the muscle or neural tissue wirelessly
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a system for treating a patient having a disorder related to a patient's intestine (100), comprising one or more electrical stimulation devices (10) having one or more electrodes (11) for electrically stimulating muscle or neural tissue of the intestine, wherein each of the one or more electrical stimulation devices (10) comprises a wireless energy receiver (R) configured to receive energy for stimulating the muscle or neural tissue wirelessly.